Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Let There Be Light!

I really love chandeliers and sconces and bell jar pendants and lanterns...I love lighting! The picture above and these two following photos are from Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles April 2011 issue. Designer and homeowner, Elizabeth Elsey beautifully selected lighting for her home. All of the lighting is exquisite and each fixture relates to the space and with the other fixtures in adjacent rooms without being too contrived.

I love the beautiful classic crystal chandelier in the dining room. The blue walls and gold mirror really showcase the crystals. Then she goes a different, but yet still classic, direction in the breakfast room with this simple lantern. I love lanterns above casual dining tables and above islands.

In the kitchen, a space that I assume is in close proximity to both the breakfast area and dining room, she chose bell jar pendants which compliment both the brass and crystal of the dining room chandelier and the clear pendant effect of the lantern. See how they all relate without being too similar?

One of the most daunting tasks for our current renovation has been choosing the light fixtures. Here in Chicago it seems you must either go to The Merchandise Mart and pay top dollar (even for the trade) or you must choose very mass manufactured looking pieces. In Atlanta there are so many antique sources, Circa Lighting which stocks mostly all Visual Comfort lines, The Big Chandelier ( I designed and purchased my chandelier here just prior to our move...so glad I did!) and Masterpiece Lighting on 14th street. I've had to get a little more creative here. I've purchased most everything on-line either through Circa or directly from the Visual Comfort Lighting store. Below are a few photos of some of the fixtures I have chosen:

Family Room Chandelier

A double version of these sconces will hang above the mantel on each side of an oil painting.

A pair of these lanterns in bronze will hang above the island. The lanterns were an extreme "SAVE" as noted in the following paragraph. The family room chandelier and the breakfast room chandelier are slightly similar and are complimented by the lanterns and the sconces, but there are a variety of finishes...bronze, brass, aged iron, wooden beads. Again, it all relates without being too homogenous.

I saved the selection of the breakfast room fixture for last and I decided on this linear chandelier.

I had intended to save this topic until later, but one of my very favorite bargain "save" sources is One Kings Lane and they are having a Visual Comfort sale tomorrow! One Kings Lane is is kind of like a Bluefly for home decor. They have four or five new sales from different vendors daily.

https://www.onekingslane.com

I bought two of these beautiful lanterns for above my new kitchen island for 75% off the retail price!

Also, I thought you might like to see a sneak peek of the kitchen. This renovation is about to get the best of me, but it's almost finished! We are in the exciting phase right now. A lot is happening everyday. The countertop fabricator templated today. As soon as the countertops are installed the vent hood can go on and all of the upper cabinets can be hung. We've been without a kitchen since the day after Easter and I can honestly say that I can't wait to cook!!!

This is the view looking towards the refrigerator which is going in that empty space to the right. The stove and decorative range hood will go on the wall behind the island. Those lanterns will be hanging above the island with the range as the focal point in the background.

This is the view looking towards the sink. I chose a Shaw's apron front sink. I can't wait to see the upper cabinets installed. I'm waiting on the cabinets and then countertops to be completely installed before selecting my backsplash tile. It will be a plain subway tile, but I have not decided on cream like the cabinets or white like the sink. My countertop will be Imperial Danby white marble with gray and brownish gold veining from Vermont. It has a similar look to the Calacatta Gold Vein marble that is so popular right now. The Imperial Danby is apparently a little less expensive, yet more durable. We will see...we truly live in our spaces so I'm sure there will be some red wine or strawberry stains soon!

The picture to the right is the butler's pantry. I found the pretty brick pavers on-line through a vintage reclaimed brick company in Rockford, Illinois...Another SAVE!

The picture to the left is our breakfast room so far...waiting on countertop and then the upper cabinets can be installed. The sconces pictured above will be attached to the side of the cabinets on each side of this window and the one above the sink.

Anyway, enough about me and my project. I am going to leave you with a few more pictures of lighting I love and some great resources.....

I love this simple lantern and the wicker chairs pictured in Southern Accents a few years ago. There is also beautiful natural light in this space!

Also, from Southern Accents...You can't go wrong with a classic! Crystal chandeliers are a timeless touch in a formal dining room.

House Beautiful shows us a slightly overscaled example of lanterns above the island...a little too big in my opinion.

House Beautiful pictures this warm and inviting breakfast nook.

Again, another great example of lanterns above an island. These are very unique and quite nice with the wood beams.

I LOVE this foyer in a Charleston home featured in an old issue of Southern Accents. The bell jar pendants are simple yet elegant...perfect for a Charleston home!

It would be nice if we could all afford to go to ADAC or The Merchandise Mart and select Niermann Weeks chandeliers and the like, but that is only possible for a very few people I know! If you live in Atlanta, Savannah or Charleston you can go to Circa Lighting and see many Visual Comfort lines designed by Suzanne Kasler, Eric Cohler, Sandy Chapman and others. Otherwise you can go on-line and order them. Visual Comfort has very high quality timeless and classic fixtures. They are not cheap, but they are not exorbitant. If you go to the on-line store, do the on-line chat and ask them for a coupon code. The best case scenario is to find a fixture you like during a One Kings Lane sale! I also like Ballard Designs and Shades of Light. They both have great websites with lots of lights and shades. The prices are great!

Two more great Atlanta sources where you can actually see the fixtures are Masterpiece Lighting and The Big Chandelier. They are very near each other on 14th Street in Midtown. The Big Chandelier is great because they have refurbished vintage fixtures and some new pieces that you can customize. Check out all of these great sources...I'd love to hear your success stories!

About Me

I started the Finely Frugal blog in 2011, shortly after moving from Atlanta to The North Shore of Chicago. Finely Frugal shares my talent of perfecting the art of knowing when to splurge and where to save in creating timeless spaces. With a fine eye for detail and a gift for editing spaces, my passion is to create meaningful and unencumbered environments to share with family and friends. Presently, I am launching my new business, Buckhead Market. I hope to bring classic Southern design to the beautiful North Shore! After moving here I found a shortage of resources for DIY home decorating. In Atlanta it's so common to run right out and get that perfect pair of pillows in fine fabrics to complete a room. And yes, they are already made...no need to get a professional designer involved just for a couple of pillows. Or maybe you have a blank wall behind a sofa or above a bed? In Atlanta, you could visit various antique markets and find a beautiful collection of framed prints to complete the space. With a measuring tape and hammer you could create a beautiful and meaningful space in an afternoon. Buckhead Market will be bringing many of these resources to the North Shore!